Guinea-Bissau opposition leader sent back to prison

A military court placed Guinea-Bissau opposition leader Domingos Simoes Pereira in prison Friday, according to a security source, as he faces accusations linked to alleged coup attempts and financial crimes.

Pereira leads the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde. He was detained when the army overthrew President Umaro Sissoco Embalo on November 26 last year, then released in January and placed under house arrest in Bissau.

The security source said Pereira arrived for a military court appearance on Friday morning and was immediately taken under escort to the Segunda Esquadra prison in the capital.

Pereira is accused of involvement in an attempted October 2025 coup, which he is alleged to have helped finance, as well as separate financial crimes and involvement in a 2023 coup attempt. Both alleged coup attempts took place under Embalo, before his ousting.

Roberto Indeque, from Pereira’s legal team, said on local radio that the lawyers boycotted the hearing, arguing that the proceedings were outside the legal framework and that they had not been informed of their client’s appearance before the judge.

Pereira’s lawyers and party reject the accusations as arbitrary and say they are part of a politically motivated campaign to keep him out of the presidential race scheduled for December 6.

General Horta N’Tam leads Guinea-Bissau’s current military government.